Eighteen persons were killed and 12 others injured on Tuesday when a bus fell 200 metres deep into a gorge at Nathpa on Hindustan-Tibet national highway, about 185 km from Shimla.
Fifteen persons died on the spot while three succumbed to their injuries on way to hospital and twelve others were injured, SP, Kinnaur, Rahul Nath said.
The condition of four injured persons stated to be serious and they have been rushed to Civil Hospital in Rampur.
The private bus was on its way to Rampur from Rekong Peo when the tragedy struck.
The deceased included two policemen while the identity of the others was being identified.
After hurtling into the gorge, the bus stopped on the bank of Sutlej, a few meters from the river and some of the injured persons jumped out of the bus.
The bus broke into pieces and rescuers struggled to extricate the bodies trapped in the vehicle.
The cause of the accident could not be ascertained so far but eyewitnesses said it took place as the driver tried to overtake another bus.
